Fat and protein removal from process streams

Abstract

The precipitation and removal of suspended fat and protein components and other suspended solids from a given solution can be accomplished by the addition of an aluminate to complex with the fat and protein components and the addition of a flocculating agent to flocculate the aluminate/fat and protein component complexes into insoluble particles capable of removal by conventional technology, which insoluble particles can be rendered to produce tallow.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for removing COD created by fat and protein components from an aqueous waste stream, said method comprising: 
       adjusting said waste stream to a pH of between about 4.5 and 6.5;  
       treating said waste stream with an aluminate to form an aluminate and fat/protein complex, said aluminate treatment raises said solution pH from between about 4.5 and 6.5 to between about 5 and 10 and said pH is not reduced below about 4.5 prior to treating with said aluminate;  
       adding an anionic flocculating agent to said aqueous solution in order to interact with said complex and form a plurality of insoluble flocculate particles which contain said aluminate and said fat and protein components; and  
       removing said COD by separating at least a portion of said insoluble flocculate particles from said aqueous waste stream.  
     
     
       2. A method according to  claim 1  wherein said aluminate treatment raises said waste stream pH from between about 4.5 and 6.5 to between about 5.5 and 8. 
     
     
       3. A method according to  claim 2  wherein said aluminate treatment adds an aluminate concentration within said waste stream of between 30 and 150 ppm to said solution. 
     
     
       4. A method according to  claim 2  wherein said anionic flocculating agent addition adds an anionic flocculating agent concentration within said waste stream of between 1 and 20 ppm to said solution. 
     
     
       5. A method according to  claim 1  wherein said aluminate treatment adds an aluminate concentration within said waste stream of between 50 and 100 ppm to said solution. 
     
     
       6. A method according to  claim 1  wherein said anionic flocculating agent addition adds an anionic flocculating agent concentration within said waste stream of between 7 and 15 ppm to said solution. 
     
     
       7. A method according to  claim 1  wherein said removed insoluble flocculate particles are further rendered to produce a tallow. 
     
     
       8. A method according to  claim 1  wherein said flocculating agent is a naturally occurring polymer. 
     
     
       9. A method according to  claim 8  wherein said flocculating agent is pectin.